Is There a Perfect Time to Get Your Flu Shot?

Timing is everything (sort of).

The question: I've heard that getting your flu shot too early could make you more susceptible to the virus, because the flu could mutate and the vaccine you got wouldn't protect you. But if you get it too late, you risk getting the flu anyways. When should I schedule my shot?

The experts: Steven Lamm, M.D., medical director of the Tisch Center for Men’s Health at New York University's Langone Medical Center; and E. Neil Schachter, M.D., professor of medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu

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The answer: If you can manage to get the flu shot towards the end of October you should be protected during the height of the flu season, says Lamm.

This is because the flu vaccine has a life span of about six months, similar to the length of the flu season, which typically runs from October to March, he says. During this period, the shot becomes less effective towards the end of that time. And since the peak of flu season usually hits between November and December, getting your shot within the month of October can help ensure that the vaccine will be at full strength when most people are getting sick, says Lamm. However, if you got your shot last month or even the month before, you're still more protected than you would be if you didn't get one at all, he says.

Also, if you're worried that getting the vaccine too early puts you at risk for mutated versions of the virus, you should stop stressing, says Schachter. Here's why: The flu vaccine is made for the version of the virus that health officials believe will likely hit the U.S. in the coming year. That vaccine stays the same during the entire flu season because creating a vaccine for versions of the flu that are resistant to the current vaccine would take too much time, he says. In other words, the vaccine given in September is the same one given in November, and if a new strain of the flu virus emerges during the season, it won't matter when you got your vaccine.

While there isn't too much harm in scheduling your flu vaccine on the early side, a.k.a. before October, putting it off is a little more risky, says Lamm. The longer you wait, the more at risk you are of contracting the virus, he says. But is there a point of no return when it comes to getting vaccinated? Lamm says that waiting until February to get your flu shot wouldn't be very helpful since it takes about two weeks for your body to develop the antibodies to fight the flu. That means your immune system would be totally ready to battle the virus just in time for flu season to be over. Womp. On the other hand, he says, it still can't hurt to get vaccinated even at the end of the season since it's possible to get the flu in March and April.

Finally, it’s important to remember that getting the flu shot doesn't mean that you won't get the flu. You could contract a different kind of flu or you might get the flu you were vaccinated against but a less severe version of it, says Lamm. So, instead of having symptoms that last a month, you might only have it for a week, he says.

The bottom line is that there is a best time to get your flu shot (and it's coming up!), but if you can't make it in that window, try and squeeze in a vaccination as soon as you can. Better safe than sorry.

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